50-Word Competition

I run a free 50-word story competition on my blog. You can read the rules and upcoming themes by clicking on the link above (or the ’50’ picture on the right) but an outline is below…

The competition opens on the first of each month and close at midnight (UK time) on the last day of each month. A maximum of three stories per author*. My favourite of the three goes through to the final pick. *Please send in separate emails. Thank you!

Entrants have until midnight (UK time) on the last day of each month to submit their pieces for consideration. All stories should be written to the theme. If you have a story already that would fit, that’s fine but it has to be 50 words exactly.

  • Deadline: the deadline for the latest competition is midnight (UK time) on Sunday 31st May. Each theme will open on the first day of each month, closing on the last day of each month.
  • Theme: the current theme (which changes each month, this/next year’s are listed below) is: ‘The other side of the world‘… for any type of story, as long as it’s 50 words exactly (excluding the title).
  • Submissions: Max three stories per entrant. Please send in separate emails. Thank you. I will pick my favourite of the three to go through to the final. I’ve had trouble with contact forms on my site where they’ve garnered a lot (many each day) of spam messages so this time I’m inviting submissions via email (morgen@morgenbailey.com – one email per story please and within the body of the email – no attachments please) with the month and theme as the subject line, e.g. DECEMBER: Taking the Biscuit
    You won’t receive an automated confirmation but I will usually reply within a week confirming receipt. All stories must be in English.
    In the email itself, please include a title for each story and your name please. If you’d like a website (or sales page) linked to your name please include that. So in the body of the email…
    Your name with ‘Story Title’:
    Website (optional – please include the full website inc. http://):
    Then the story in single-spacing so no blank lines between.
    i.e.
    John Smith with ‘The Burning’
    http://johnsmith.com
    The burning…
    Then any message you’d like to add. Thank you!
  • Fee: there is no fee for entering this competition. I enjoy reading flash fiction and being a competition judge.
  • Prizes: the top three stories/authors chosen will receive the following prizes:
    1st prize: 1,500 words free critique.
    2nd prize: 1,000 words free critique.
    3rd prize: 500 words free critique.
    Each prize is valid for six months from the closing date (i.e. the prizes for the top three stories for March 2026 are valid until the end of September 2026) so you can combine your ‘winnings’. Expiry dates in ‘Themes’ below.
    Alternatively there is the choice of 30, 20, 10 minutes (respectively) of Zoom mentoring time, to talk about any aspect of your writing or the publishing industry. Again these credits are valid for six months so you can save them up. Expiry dates in ‘Themes’ below.

So head to https://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/50-word-comp for the rules. I look forward to reading your stories.